5 Tips To Change Your Mindset
5 min
©fizkes
Exercising more, eating healthy and reducing stress – is your list of New Year’s resolutions a mile long? How will you make sure you follow through this time? Your mindset is crucial for putting those plans into practice. Any new lifestyle shift begins in your head. We’ll tell you why it’s worth taking a fresh look at things and how to change your mindset to lead you to success.
A little tip in advance: Don’t put off your resolutions until tomorrow – start today! Make yourself a delicious and healthy meal, like a quick winter salad with roasted Brussels sprouts or apple pie oatmeal. And you can feel great knowing you’re on the way.
Your mindset, or how you see things, plays an important role in achieving your goals, and that’s why changing your mindset can show you new ways to reach your goal. Admittedly, it’s easier said than done to change your mindset. After all, your own perception of your environment and your everyday life is subjective and influenced by your personal beliefs. In order to change your mindset, you have to accept that there are other ways of looking at things and consciously step outside of your first assumptions. Some challenges might suddenly appear in a completely new light when you gain some distance to find an objective solution more quickly. The following tips show you how to positively steer your mindset step by step and, with it, keep your resolutions.
#1 Be Open to New Things
People are creatures of habit and are reluctant to leave their comfort zone. After all, we feel most comfortable where we know our way around. But you won’t get ahead if you keep on doing what you’ve always done. Be open to new experiences and different opinions. Keep a flexible mentality to change your mindset. Think yoga isn’t for you because it’s too spiritual? Or never been up for an early morning workout because you’d rather sleep in? Try to approach things with an open mind instead of categorically rejecting them from the start. Maybe you’ll give yoga a chance and see that it actually improves your flexibility. You might find that getting up early suits you after all and you’ll start the day with a pep in your step. It’s worth a try!
Read more: Are you interested in yoga? In our article, we tell you what to look for in yoga as a beginner and give you all the info you need before your first yoga class so you can get started right away!
#2 Challenge Your Negative Beliefs
“I’ll never make it! No way!” or “I’m way too unathletic for that!” Are these lines from your own internal monologue? These negative types of beliefs sound familiar to many. But what’s behind them? These thoughts about yourself or your environment usually come from experiences you’ve had in the past. You need to become aware of these beliefs if you want to change your mindset. Only then can you dissolve them.
So, ask yourself why you think that way. Where did this belief come from? Does it even make sense, based on where you are today? Does it help you achieve your goals, or does it hold you back from them? Once you have identified those pesky negative beliefs, you can turn the tables. Change your mindset by rephrasing the negative statements as positive ones. For example, by using affirmations (repeating a positive statement every day) and telling yourself that you absolutely are going to make it! Set yourself small and concrete intermediate goals. For example: “I will be able to eat healthier. From today on, I will always have vegetables in the fridge.” This will help you stay on track step by step, instead of letting negative thoughts overwhelm you.
#3 Know Your Why
Don’t feel like working out and leaning toward skipping today’s session? Rather eat chocolate and potato chips when you watch TV instead of whipping up a healthy snack? You were so sure this year would be different. Why isn’t it working out? If you find yourself reaching this point, ask yourself why you set these resolutions in the first place. Why do you want to exercise more and eat healthier? You will only have the motivation to follow through if you know the real reasons driving you. Often the reasons are much deeper than they seem at first glance. Be sure you are doing this for yourself, not to meet anyone else’s (or society’s) expectations.
Once you’ve reminded yourself of your why, it changes your perspective on your resolutions. You’ll find it easier to change your mindset when you keep your why in mind. Your workout isn’t there to torture you. You’re doing it for yourself – to feel good, to be fitter, to escape the stress of everyday life, or just to invest some time in yourself. There’s nothing forbidden about sweets either. Food is not morally good or bad. Enjoy your chocolate, every bite. Make yourself a fresh, balanced meal because you want to enjoy the taste, do something good for your body, provide it with nutrients, and thank it for all that it does for you every day.
Read more: Want to exercise regularly without having to constantly push yourself to do it? In our article, we’ll show you how to make your workouts into a habit.
#4 Put Yourself in Others’ Shoes
The easiest way to change your mindset is to consciously leave the first-person perspective and ask yourself questions that focus on the thinking of others. If you’re faced with a challenge that seems impossible to overcome, you should ask yourself what another person would do in this situation.
Let’s say you don’t want to be stressed out by every little thing and are in search of more balance in your everyday life this year. Maybe you have a friend or a role model who reacts calmly to challenges and masters them with ease. What would this person do in such a situation? When you change your mindset, it helps you look at the problem objectively. Chances are it’s not as bad as you thought and there’s a logical solution waiting for you. If possible, you can also ask the person for their opinion. How does their mindset differ from yours? What can you learn from this and take away for yourself?
Also worth reading: A meditation practice can help you get in touch with yourself and is a fantastic way to reduce stress and tune out the noise. Learn about meditation in our article on meditation and how to slow yourself down.
#5 Learn to Value the Little Things
Sometimes you don’t reach your goals because you don’t value the small steps in between, you lose patience, and then give up altogether. Have you resolved to eat healthier? Great! Don’t expect every single meal you eat from now on to be perfect and balanced, with only vegetables and superfoods on the menu. Start slowly. When you start out, you might manage to cook for yourself three times a week. That’s a success. You can build on that. Changes and new habits take time and all start somewhere. Don’t be too hard on yourself if you don’t stick to your plan. Change your mindset and be grateful to yourself for what you have achieved so far. Tomorrow is another day. You can pick up where you left off. And if you need to take a break for a day? Three days? Weeks? When you’re ready, know that HERE and NOW are the best places to start, and pick it up again.
More healthy living facts from foodspring:
- Healthy Habits – Your path to a healthier lifestyle
- A breakfast bowl to give you the best start to your day
- How to reduce stress: 9 amazing tips to bring you to a calmer place
- Fitness Motivation: 6 ways to amp yourself up for your session
- How to motivate yourself to exercise – it’s all here
Sources for this article
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